Does anyone feel really uncomfortable seeing people in masks?

[Lissy23]

I do.
It feels to be like their ‘faceless’ beings.
I know this sounds really far fetched, but it’s how I feel.

I also find it very unpleasant being unable to see somebody’s facial expression and to know whether they are smiling at me.
I think I’m on the spectrum, possibly aspergers, I’ve been told by various therapists that it’s a possibility.

How will anyone meet a romantic partner if they can’t see their face? Only their eyes? I know eyes are supposed to be the ‘window the soul’ but I can’t bear not seeing somebody’s entire face.

I went to the pharmacy the other day and the pharmacist was wearing a mask, he was talking to me and I didn’t understand him at all. I didn’t think I relied on lip reading, but I obviously do. He said it twice and I didn’t get it, so I just pretended I had

I know this is all for the greater good. But I feel so depressed and anxious by it all, I already suffer with mental health issues.

I am finding it difficult reading books and watching tv programme or films because they make me tearful and remind me of life before all of this ‘new normal’. I’m wondering if I should speak to a doctor. But I have no idea how to word it.
I’ve already had people calling me selfish and childish (friends and family) for being anxious about wearing a face covering.
It isn’t just other people wearing them, I can’t breathe when I have anything covering my nose and mouth and it often induces a panic attack.

@onedayinthefuture - not frightened for myself - I've already had it. And hardly thinking 'look at me!' as most people wear them around here. And yes I do care for other people - I wouldn't be a nurse if I didn't tbh!

but I'm tired of reading "it's fine absolutely everywhere else and only Brits don't like 'em". That claim doesn't make any sense.,

You may be tired of reading it, but it’s my experience, so I have zero fucks to give

I'm not a neurotic fearful trembling snowflake. Not bothered

Clearly not bothered about other people, either.

If it were just to protect myself, I wouldn’t bother with a mask. I’m not terribly worried about getting it myself (and there’s a decent chance I’ve had it anyway.)

But as the evidence becomes clearer that they do seem to reduce spread and protect others, I’ll wear it. I’m lucky enough to have the choice - and I make the choice to reduce the risk for others who may not have as many choices.

Because the world doesn’t revolve around me.

[quote TaxTheRatFarms]Oh look Owl

Here’s what an infectious disease specialist has to say about masks. I am choosing to believe someone with years of training and expertise over you random internet photo

One category of evidence comes from laboratory studies of respiratory droplets and the ability of various masks to block them. An experiment using high-speed video found that hundreds of droplets ranging from 20 to 500 micrometers were generated when saying a simple phrase, but that nearly all these droplets were blocked when the mouth was covered by a damp washcloth. Another study of people who had influenza or the common cold found that wearing a surgical mask significantly reduced the amount of these respiratory viruses emitted in droplets and aerosols

He also says:

*Do masks protect the people wearing them or the people around them?

“I think there’s enough evidence to say that the best benefit is for people who have COVID-19 to protect them from giving COVID-19 to other people, but you’re still going to get a benefit from wearing a mask if you don’t have COVID-19,” said Chin-Hong.

Masks may be more effective as a “source control” because they can prevent larger expelled droplets from evaporating into smaller droplets that can travel farther*

www.ucsf.edu/news/2020/06/417906/still-confused-about-masks-heres-science-behind-how-face-masks-prevent[/quote]
Oh dear. Do you believe everything you read MUST be true

No. It means they care about others. That's always a good thing to witness.

@JassyRadlett

I'm not a neurotic fearful trembling snowflake. Not bothered

Clearly not bothered about other people, either.

If it were just to protect myself, I wouldn’t bother with a mask. I’m not terribly worried about getting it myself (and there’s a decent chance I’ve had it anyway.)

But as the evidence becomes clearer that they do seem to reduce spread and protect others, I’ll wear it. I’m lucky enough to have the choice - and I make the choice to reduce the risk for others who may not have as many choices.

Because the world doesn’t revolve around me.

Virtue signalling right there

So you believe what you see on the internet, but I’m an idiot for... believing what I see on the internet?

I’m afraid we’re both idiots then owl

You do realise that virtue signalling is nigh on pointless in a supermarket when you’re unlikely to know anyone or interact in any way other than paying for your shopping, right?

TaxTheRatFarms
Oh dear, you’ve committed the cardinal sin of believing in science. Silly you!
Clearly, a far better choice would be to believe some made up bollocks by someone who has absolutely zero credibility whatsoever. Don’t you know anything about the internet?

I don’t feel sorry for people wearing masks. You know who I feel sorry for - the countless people on threads like this declaring they simply won’t go out if masks become mandatory. I can’t imagine being so resistant to change that I’d voluntarily place myself in a sort of lockdown rather than just wear a mask.
I understand there is a small minority who genuinely struggle due to sensory issues and PTSD etc but there seems to be an awful lot of people on here that just basically won’t wear one because they’re mildly uncomfortable.
I’d much rather wear a mask and live a semi normal winter than go into lockdown again. Surely people can see that we’ve artificially broken the transmission routes of the virus with the lockdown and as things start opening up again we need to be very careful they don’t spring up again. The virus hasn’t gone away, we have contained it up till now. We’re now taking the lid off that container. If masks reduce spread even by only a small amount I’ll happily wear one.

I'm not concerned about covid for myself. I'm in an extremely low risk category. But it doesn't hurt me to wear a mask, and it might help someone else, so it's the responsible thing to do. For people who really can't wear a mask it's different, but for most of us it's like not dropping litter - it helps wider society.

Virtue signalling right there

I’ll be honest, I feel like a self-conscious twat when I’m wearing one. But I know the reasoning behind it.

If anyone who acts in other people’s interests rather than their own is ‘virtue signalling’ then sign me up.

But I don’t think you know what ‘virtue signalling’ means beyond the warm feeling of self-justification you feel when you aim it at anyone pointing out that your choices are a bit selfish.

Also, I'm getting really pissed off that if anyone ever suggests they might like to do something nice for someone else they get called a virtue signaller. Presumably the people who use the term virtue signalling simply can't fathom that someone might want to so something nice just because it's a nice thing to do.

I won’t get a semi normal winter whether I wear a mask or not. I have a baby and a toddler - it is highly unlikely that there will be any affordable indoor activities available for us, so a lockdown will be forced on me if the weather is very bad.

And yeah, I agree with the PP that there is also a selfish element for me. I fucking hated lockdown and particularly the impact on my kids. If I can do something pretty straightforward that helps to avoid us heading back in that direction, I’ll do it. Because I’ll be bloody pissed off if my kids have to spend another six months out of school.

UmbrellaHat Ahh yes, all those vulnerable people are just ninnies. We are all trying to protect the at risk (like my child) and that makes us pathetic eh? Away on the fuck.

@merrytombombadil

Also, I'm getting really pissed off that if anyone ever suggests they might like to do something nice for someone else they get called a virtue signaller. Presumably the people who use the term virtue signalling simply can't fathom that someone might want to so something nice just because it's a nice thing to do.

Yes but you don't need to tell everyone about it

Can i just check the mumsnet rules?
Is it OK to tell specific people to fuck right off?
Asking for a friend, obviously.

Also, I'm getting really pissed off that if anyone ever suggests they might like to do something nice for someone else they get called a virtue signaller

Me too. IMO, they aren’t using the phrase correctly anyway. ‘Virtue signalling’ never did refer to anyone who ever did anything good... it was always used to describe people who would go out of their way to explain and point out their good deed to others either on social media to their friends, or IRL to anyone who would listen.

So, the guy who gives a homeless person a tenner and has a photograph taken with him to post on FB for example.

Wearing a mask in pubic is not virtue signalling.

Yes but you don't need to tell everyone about it

It’s a thread about wearing masks. That’s not ‘telling everyone’. That’s contributing to a topical discussion.

Do you hang out on the pregnancy boards bitching at pregnant women about how they don’t need to keep talking about being pregnant?

Catastrofuck They obviously wore it to protect you and your kid and themselves. How did you not understand that?

No,not at all. Everyone must do what their personal circumstances dictate.

Exactly! I'm sure most people who wear a mask to Lidl are not posting it all over social media

Saying "I wear a mask" on an anonymous forum where the topic is on masks is hardly virtue signalling

To be honest when you see people doing the shopping and what not with their masks and visors on I feel sorry for them. Must be awful to be so terrified.

I wear mine to protect others. You know, the vulnerable ones that are at risk of dying. Seeing as 80% are asymptomatic, I might have it.

So I wear a mask.

Weirdly, I'm alone on this not being selfish malarky, as when I go to the shops I'm the only one (or very much in the minority) wearing one.

Imagine if we all thought of others (excluding those that medically cannot wear masks) to stop this spread sooner rather than later.